Lawmakers this year didn’t approve extra money to help schools pay for raises despite having an unprecedented $32 billion surplus — even after Gov. Greg Abbott commissioned a task force last year to improve teacher pay and retention.
school vouchers
Posted in
2023 Session Recap
No teacher raises. A failed school voucher push. Armed guards. Here’s what changed for public education this legislative session.
Lawmakers sacrificed school funding to block school vouchers, but the issue could be debated again in a special session. Districts will get new funds for school safety, though Uvalde families were ultimately left disappointed with inaction on gun restrictions.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
No teacher raises, no vouchers: Lawmakers fail to reach compromise on school funding bill
The end of House Bill 100 is a bittersweet victory for public education advocates who vehemently oppose school voucher programs but lament that schools won’t get additional funds to pay for teacher raises or balance their budgets.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
Texas Senate passes revamped school funding bill in last-minute bid to implement voucher program
Texas senators have latched education savings accounts to a school funding bill in a last-ditch effort to avoid a special session. But some House members are furious at the revamped version and have vowed not to let it become law.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
Texas Senate committee revamps school funding bill to revive voucher-like proposal
The Senate education committee has drastically changed House Bill 100 after Gov. Greg Abbott signaled he would call a special session if a voucher-like program didn’t pass.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
Time runs out for taxpayer-funded private school tuition bill as special session looms
Gov. Greg Abbott has already signaled he would call a special session if lawmakers failed to pass a voucher-like program open to all students.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
School voucher bill hangs by a thread as key deadline approaches
The House public education committee chair said Wednesday he currently has no plans to bring the bill for a vote. Gov. Greg Abbott has vowed to call a special session if the House doesn’t “expand the scope of school choice.”
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
Gov. Greg Abbott threatens to veto pared-down school choice bill, warns of special sessions
Abbott says if a school voucher bill isn’t expanded to include more students, a special legislative session will be the result.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
Texas House’s version of the Senate’s voucher bill would change eligibility to the program and replace the STAAR test
The Texas House’s education committee is soon expected to discuss the new version of Senate Bill 8, which was heavily modified to sway votes in the lower chamber.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
Texas Senate approves education savings account bill — but House signals a tough road ahead
A Texas House vote earlier in the day suggests Senate Bill 8 might be short of the votes needed to pass in the lower chamber. Senators also passed a bill on Thursday that would give teachers a one-time bonus.